Transition to Circular Economy is a necessity when we wish to create a better and more sustainable future for our children and the generations to come. We need to make the most of our limited resources and work together against climate change. Amerplast and Metsä Tissue’s Serla brand are partnering to introduce the first Circular Economy Tissue Packaging to the market.

Amerplast’s ESSI Kiertokääre is a circular economy packaging concept that utilizes recycled plastic from industrial sources and post-consumer recycled plastic packaging separately collected from Finnish households. According to Amerplast research the use of recycled raw materials decreases the environmental effects of packaging and also the need for virgin raw materials.

What makes Serla’s Green Pack packaging unique is not only the use of recycled materials. The packaging is a combination of both the ESSI Kiertokääre concept and biobased Green PE polyethylene. Green PE is produced using ethanol, a by-product in sugar production. It contains no fossil raw materials and can be recycled in existing recycling streams. Sugar cane is a 100% renewable and carbon dioxide depleting resource. It removes up to 2.15 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere for each ton produced, from cradle to the supplier Braskem’s gate (source : LCA study by E4tech & LCA Works). After use, the Green Pack packaging is fully recyclable through existing recycling streams as raw material for new tissue packaging.

“We are excited and proud to launch this innovative material on Serla yellow toilet tissue packages. Sustainability is in the core of the Serla brand, and in addition to this new packaging we are supporting the Circular Economy also by using recycled paper in Serla products”, says Hanna Hirvonen, Brand Manager for Serla.

“Amerplast is committed to develop sustainable solutions for flexible packaging applications as a part of our AmerGreen sustainability program. Our emphasis is on the recyclability and the use of recycled and biobased materials. We are constantly looking for more sustainable alternatives to traditional oil based virgin raw materials. Our target is to make recycled and bio based raw materials a standard in our business”, says Ari-Pekka Pietilä, Amerplast CMO. “Transition to circular economy is a team effort and cooperation with innovative and environmentally aware customers like Metsä Tissue play a key role in the transformation of our industry into an environmentally sound business”, Pietilä concludes.